One-Shot Galore
by LittleMissHeartfillia
Summary: This is a story where I dump all my one-shots and what not It's all going to be about Fairy Tail, and chock full of all my favorite ships. Enjoy
1. Ink and Petals

**AN: GUESS WHOS BACK IN ACTION! After being gone for I don't even know how long I'm back with a whole new one-shot for you guys. Okay so this was requested by indayiashow on tumblr a while back and I figured this would be perfect to get me back in the writing jig! It's all about Shalily, a tattoo and floral shop owner AU! Enjoy~**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or it's characters. Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima**

He loved the way the light shined in downtown Magnolia during midday. It would shine perfectly through the flower shop's windows across the street. When it did he always took his lunch so he could look at her from the street benches. Maybe that made him a creep, but god she was so beautiful. If anyone ever noticed his strange lunch breaks everyday they never confronted him about it. He only hoped Gajeel hadn't taken notice yet. That man could act dense as ever but Pantherlily knew that he understood a lot more than people thought.

He had just taken another bite of his kiwi garden salad when her eyes lifted up to make contact with his. Her locks of curly white-blonde hair falling in front of her face, only to be pushed gently back by her tiny fingers. She smiled at him and he almost choked, quickly looking down so it didn't look like he was staring even if he was. He didn't think it did that much good though. When he looked back up at her she was busy smiling and laughing with a customer.

She must have a beautiful laugh, he imagined. It had been three weeks since her shop was fully established right next to his work and he had yet to work up the courage to speak with her. He mentally kicked himself for not talking to her yet. Normally he would be just fine asking a pretty girl out on a date, if they said no then he would back off and if they said yes he would be a gentlemen to them. But this girl...she was something else. Her beauty was nothing short of divine. Everyday the sunlight shone upon her hair, he could almost see the halo above her head.

"Hey, Lil." A voice called from behind him. He turned and sticking his head out of the tattoo shop doorway was Gajeel, his partner and co-worker. "Go over there and chat with her, will ya! All this lovey dovey staring contest stuff is getting ridiculous." He snickered when Pantherlily froze up and avoided his gaze.

Then Lily stood from his seat, abandoning his lunch. "Alright, fine. I will." Gajeel looked shocked but an evil smirk played upon his lips as he stepped fully outside, leaning against the shop wall.

"Mind recording it for me then so I can laugh at it afterwards?"

"Ha ha, very funny." He attempted to straighten his wrinkled shirt and brush off some dust. It didn't do much but at least he tried. "Watch and learn, Gajeel. Maybe if you're lucky you'll even get to use some pointers on Levy."

Gajeel blushed slightly then crossed his arms defensively. "Shuddup and go get yer woman already."

"Thank you, come again!" She gave her best smile for the customer in front of her, then went back to rearranging her new arrivals by the window displays. New arrivals always smelled the freshest and had the most vibrant colors. Watching the late petals bloom filled her day with joy. When they finally opened up and showed the world how beautiful and intricate each petal on each flower with it's many colors can be...That's when she knew she made the right decision in opening this flower shop.

"So what's the deal with that hot tattoo artist across the street?" Her daughter and family employee asked, from her spot behind the counter.

She tried to hide her surprised face from her daughter. The last thing they needed was Charle worrying about her mother's non-existent love life.

"Oh, I don't know. I haven't spoken with him. Although he is cute isn't he?" She turned her head with a smile and tried for a nervous chuckle. Her daughter saw right through it.

"Shagotte." She scolded. It was rare that Charle ever called her mother 'mom'. That was probably because she spent the first ten years of her life in foster care when Shagotte was too sick to take care of her. Shagotte tried to make that up to her little girl every day but sometimes it seemed the damage had already been done and her daughter had grown up too fast. "I see the way you glance at him as you walk by the window and don't think he doesn't notice either! Honestly, playing these silly games is pointless if neither of you act on it!"

Shagotte dipped her head but couldn't help a small smile. She sighed. "Yes, you are right. What do you think I should say to him, then?"

"Perhaps you should have thought of that sooner." Charle suddenly said, with a tiny smirk turned towards the paperwork she was doing behind the counter. "Because he's coming this way."

Shagotte whipped her head around, and without a doubt the man she'd had a silent crush on for three weeks was making a beeline for her shop front door. Passersby avoided his gait, with that muscular build and body covered in tattoos even she was slightly intimidated. Who was she kidding? She was more than slightly intimidated. After her late husband she never had a man so much as glance at her because of her daughter. But this one, this incredibly hot one, was coming right towards her.

The doorbell chimed as he walked in, sending a wave of chills up her spine. Shagotte didn't know what to do so she pretended to be busy with the flowers in the window displays. Charle greeted him as she did with all customers.

"Good morning, sir! Stop and smell the flowers for a while! I'll be right back to serve you but in the meantime my mother can take your order if you like." Although Shagotte's head was turned she could feel Charle gesturing a hand to where she was and those eyes of his pierced on her back.

"I-I'll be right out, sir!" She called trying to keep her voice straight. She took a calming breath and cleared her mind. _It's just a customer. He might even be here to buy flowers for his significant other, don't get your hopes up_ She told herself but those butterflies in her stomach still persisted.

Finally composed, she stepped down from the window display and faced the man she had admired from afar for so long. He was large in comparison to her, and those muscles seemed to only add to his height.

"What can I help you with?" She started out, giving him her most friendly smile.

The man hesitated, "I...just wanted to get your opinion on the flowers you have for sale?"

Shagotte tried for a laugh. "Are you asking for my professional opinion or for a friendly one? I'm sure you understand that as a florist I would highly recommend all the flowers I have for sale. But maybe that's not what you're here for."

The man had averted his gaze to some Tiger-lilies before but he looked to her as he spoke, "Let's just say I'm asking as a friend. The name's Pantherlily." He extended a hand to her. She took it without delay, matching his strong calloused grip with a firm handshake attained over years of job interviews.

"Nice to meet you Mr. Pantherlily. I can tell you anything you want to know about these flowers, but my favorites are these ones over here." She held her face steady as she lead him across a few aisles to a budding daffodil. "The daffodils are always so beautiful this time of year. I love to watch them bloom and grow, they grow fabulously well in summer gardens as well. If you're looking to buy for a significant other I would recommend these one's however." She showed him a flower a few more aisles down, where her carnations grew. "The red carnation symbolizes love, pride and admiration. A pink carnation symbolizes the love of a woman or mother, and white carnations mean purity." As she finished talking she finally looked away from her flowers and met his gaze. He seemed surprised and for a second she wondered if she had overshared her love of flowers with him.

"Thank you. Although I'm not in a relationship right now." Her heart skipped a beat. "I wouldn't mind taking a bouquet of those daffodils though."

She smiled again, keeping up her good customer service skills even though everything about that gaze dare her to ask for his phone number. "Certainly." She quickly turned on a heel and grabbed a bunch of the daffodils. She neatly trimmed each stem and placed them in accordance with each other. "Would you like any highlighting colors or flowers in with the bouquet?" She called back to him.

He thought for a moment. "What do you recommend?" He said, placing a hand in his pocket absentmindedly and smiling shyly.

She pondered the flowers for a moment. "Well, purple is yellow's complementary color although I always thought purple is too dark to complement a bright yellow. Doesn't do a good job at making the color pop...Hmm, how about some white lilies and maybe a dark green fern as a background color." She arranged the flowers in her head then grabbed the closest ones to her and placed them accordingly. She wrapped some green tinted opaque liner around them for good measure and gave a satisfied smile when they were complete. "Here we are!" She said, bringing the bouquet up to the front desk where Pantherlily followed her. She walked behind the register and pounded some of the keys on the board before turning to him with a smile.

He patted his pockets for a minute then looked mortified when nothing happened. "Oh dear. It seems I've forgotten my wallet. I work right across the street do you mind?" He pointed to the tattoo shop where she knew he worked with one of his close friends. From watching their reactions and conversations with each other so often she could only assume they were close friends.

She looked back to Pantherlily and shook her head. "That's quite alright. I'll just hold these here for you."

Pantherlily looked at her gratefully and took off, not even bothering to look both ways before he crossed the street. Shagotte couldn't help but sneak a glance as he rushed through the tattoo shops doors.

Suddenly the sound of a door creaking open made her jump backwards in fright, "Did you get his number?" Charle asked, looking very sly as she pretended to be interested in her nails with her back against the door frame of the backroom.

"Hush child! That's not appropriate!" Charle shot her a look and she caved in with a sigh. "No…" She admitted. "Not yet anyway. He just forgot his wallet so he's going back to get it. Now if you really wanna pretend to be busy so I can 'get his number'," She drew air quotes around the word and Charle couldn't seem to stifle a laugh. "I'd suggest you actually get back to your work."

"Whatever you say, mother. Just make sure you get his number after all this. You didn't come this far for nothing." Shagotte was a bit taken aback when Charle addressed her as mother but there was not time to dwell on it when the doorbell chimed again and Charle slipped into the backroom again.

"I'm back. I apologize for the hassle, I sort of came over here in a hurry. You see I'm still on my lunch break." Pantherlily chuckled.

"That's alright. So the total for these flowers will be eleven ninety-five." He opened his wallet and counted out the bills, handing her exact change. "And here you are Mr. Pantherlily-" She placed the money in it's proper spot and was going to hand him the flowers when he passed something along the counter to her. It looked like a business card.

"You can just call me Lily. And these flowers are for you, m'lady Shagotte." He picked up the flowers himself and handed them to her over the counter. More than a little flustered she took the flowers, holding them close to her chest so she wouldn't drop them in her utter shock. "Maybe next time we can go out for lunch?"

She looked again at the business card and beside his professional information a phone number was scribbled out, his mobile phone replacing it in hastily scrawled lettering. It took her a while to process what she had heard. Not only had the man she'd admired from afar for weeks come into her shop, but he bought her her favorite flowers and even extended an invitation for a date. The news was almost too good to digest.

Finally Shagotte smiled and held up a finger, a signal for him to wait, as she set the flowers down and quickly wrote a number on one of her own business cards. "I think that sounds like a lovely idea! Thank you for your business Lily. You're a very kind man offering a woman her favorite flowers like this."

Lily smiled, accepting the card from her fingers. "Think of it as an invitation to friendship and new possibilities!"

Shagotte smiled wide to match his own, then, too soon, he took the card and left. Shagotte looked to the flowers on the counter beside her. _Daffodils represent new beginnings…_ The serendipity of it was not lost on her. She kept a genuine smile as she nitpicked the flowers in the bouquet and made a mental note to place these one her coffee table at home.

 **AN: Also I've started writing a lot more one-shots so in stead of making a whole new story every time I upload one I'm just gonna pile them all into a single story~ Thanks for reading!**


	2. A Serendipitous Evening

**AN: Based on a tumblr prompt I saw and I swore it fit Jerza perfectly! Modern Jerza AU about them meeting for the first time after being stood up by blind dates! Enjoy~**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or it's characters. Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima.**

This was infuriating.

How could Jellal have ended up here?

"Sir, would you like to order now?" The waitress came by and asked again, he sighed.

"No, that's ok. I'm sure my date will be here soon. She's just a little late."

"Very well, sir." The pretty blonde smiled sympathetically, giving him a look of pity that had started to get under his skin. It had been half an hour...people were starting to stare and everyone had noticed him. They all must know by now, that he'd been stood up. There was no doubt about that. Jellal's date was not coming. She wasn't going to be here and Jellal was beginning to feel the heavy weight of curious eyes on his back. He let his head rest on his palm and sighed deeply. As much as Jellal wanted to believe the cute girl he met at the library was going to be here, he had to face the truth eventually. She had played him, made him think there was chemistry, then left him in the dark.

Jellal frowned; thinking to himself, _That's the last time I take Meredy's advice and ask a stranger out..._ This was long enough...Jellal concluded. He threw his napkin onto the table and was about to stand up when someone sat down in the seat opposite him.

"Hi, honey, sorry I'm late. Traffic was hell!" Jellal studied this new girl who seemed to be trying to communicate something to him with her eyes. She was pretty Jellal would give her that...who was he kidding, she was drop dead gorgeous and definitely not the girl he had planned this date with. She had scarlet colored hair like a sunset and beautiful eyes...god those eyes. They tantalized him with hooded lashes and smokey eyeliner that complimented her brown irises perfectly. Why was she talking to him?! She leaned in close when Jellal failed to reply. "My name's Erza, just go with it."

Jellal settled back down, putting his napkin back on his lap with a smile. "I'm glad you're finally here. I was getting worried." He may not know why this stunning model of a woman was talking to him but her presence was already averting some of the pity stares. At this point he may have been desperate but what pride did he have left anyway?

Erza leaned in and smiled at him. She spoke quietly. "Whoever didn't show up is a dick."

Jellal smiled, at least she was being nice about it. Maybe if he played his cards right this date wouldn't be for nothing. "It's quite alright. I barely knew her anyway."

"Blind date?" She asked while placing her purse strap across the back of her chair and absent-mindedly picking up a menu.

"I took a chance with a cute stranger." He answered and Erza nodded in understanding. "I guess I've learned my lesson." He picked up his menu as well, finally looking over the delicious food options.

"She's truly missing out, then." He looked up at her, there was nothing but sincerity in her eyes, something that caught Jellal off guard. In addition to her kind nature this girl seemed too good to be true.

"So, do you have a last name? Or should I just stick with Erza?"

She laughed. "Erza is just fine, but for future reference, it's Scarlet."

"A beautiful name, thank you, now I won't forget it."

Before Erza could respond the waitress came back with a sweet smile and that annoying pity look replaced by secondhand happiness. "Would you like to order?"

Erza spoke first. "Yes, I'd like the strawberry cake."

"Do you always start with dessert?" Jellal laughed and she blushed a little.

"Strawberry cake is a delicacy to be savored! It matters not when it is enjoyed just that it is!"

"Very well, I'll have the chocolate volcano then."

The waitress giggled, "Is that all your having?" Jellal and Erza shared a look then nodded. "Would you like any drinks this evening?" She asked gathering up the menus.

"Would the lovely lady like a special wine?" He asked, smiling devilishly.

Erza's blush grew more noticeable. "That's quite alright a simply water is just fine."

"Two waters then."

"Okay, I'll be out with your orders momentarily." They both thanked her as she walked away.

There was silence for a bit then Jellal opened his mouth. "Tell me, Erza. Why would you spend your time on me anyway?"

"You looked pretty uncomfortable. Waiting for her to get here. I can't stand to see someone mistreated this way. Especially not someone as good looking as you."

Jellal almost choked on his own saliva. He felt the blood rush to his head and by now he must have looked as red as her hair. He wasn't expecting to be stood up or having to rely on the kindness of a stranger to save him from embarrassment. And he certainly wasn't expecting said stranger to be kind, beautiful _and_ attracted to him. He tried to distract himself with someone else on the table but the waitress had already taken the menus away and their drinks hadn't gotten here yet. So he resigned himself to staring at his lap.

"Tha-that's very kind of you."

Erza's smile grew wider and somehow even more beautiful. "I have a feeling this date is going to be entertaining."

Jellal and Erza ended up having the most wonderful date he could remember. It was no doubt a better date than what would have happened if his actual date had bothered to show up. He ended up walking her out of the restaurant, her hand hooked around his elbow. He waved to the waitress as he passed, thankful this date didn't have to end in failure.

They stopped on the street and Jellal turned to face her. "I hope you didn't interrupt an evening with your friends just to save me from embarrassment."

She shook her head. "I was also here alone. A blind date my friend had set up failed to show as well."

He almost smiled at the serendipity of it. "I suppose we're in the same boat. Well, I very much appreciated the 'date' we had." He drew air quotes because the date wasn't exactly the one they had planned. "Can I walk you back to your car?"

"Yes, you can." It wasn't too long of a walk, just a few buildings down, parallel parked by one of the meters.

"This ended up being quite the serendipitous evening." Erza said when they reached her car. "Next time would you like to go on a 'real' date?"

Jellal's mouth dropped. He must have stood there saying nothing for longer than he should have because Erza spoke again. "Are you...not interested?"

He found his words finally. "Ah-no! I mean, yes! Yes, of course I'm interested!"

"I'm glad." She handed him a small card. He looked to the card, a small index-kind business card.

"Social worker?" He questioned the occupation on the card.

She laughed. "I enjoy helping families."

"I see, so you're not only a kind person you have a good heart as well." Even Jellal flushed a little at his own stupid philosophical romantic remark. Erza seemed pleased by it though.

"I hope to see you again soon."

"We'll keep in touch." He promised and offered Erza a rather awkward handshake- a kiss at this point might be overstepping his bounds and he didn't want to push anything.

Jellal could hardly believe his luck as he watched her drive away. He looked back to the business card in his hand.

"Erza Scarlet…" He smiled again.

This date had been more than lucky, it was promising. For the first time tonight, Jellal was glad he had come out.


	3. Fighting The Shadows

**AN: Originally a Christmas gift for one of my tumblr friends I dug this out of my drive and planted it here. Stingue one-shot. Warning: ITS NOTHING BUT ANGST! There are no good things that happen in this so read at your own risk.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or it's characters. Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima.**

He stumbled, his fingers finding the rough edges of a pile of debris. The sharp stone cut into his hand, drawing blood where the skin had already been worn down and weakened. He panted, trying to catch his breath but his pounding heart made it hard to do anything, to hear anything. He knew the enemy was here somewhere, hiding in the shadows, waiting. There wasn't any point in waiting anymore. He had been beaten to a pulp and he could barely stand now. He tried to put one foot in front of the other, but the weight of his knees dragged him down. Once more his skin was stung by the sharp rocks beneath him, and he felt his strength waning.

"Had enough, Eucliffe?" A voice echoed from the shadows.

"Dammit…" He cursed to himself. The voice reminded him of what he was fighting for, reminded him he can't give up till he draws his last breath. Sting blotted out everything but that voice, he only focused on what had to be done. Ignoring the screaming protest of his muscles he stood up once more, this time gathering his remaining strength in the palm of his hand. "I won't give up…" He sputtered, blood spilling into his mouth a little, making his words slur. "Not when innocent people's lives are at stake! You can't defeat a Mage of Sabertooth!" He shouted the last words into the darkness, hoping to provoke the enemy out of hiding. There was no response. Sting gave a White Dragon's Claw attack into the darkness hoping it would do something, anything. After his attack cleared there was silence, he strained his ears to listen for any sign of movement beyond his field of sight. He sniffed the air, but it was too late, the enemy was already standing right next to him...ready to strike.

With no time to react or move out of the way Sting took the full brunt of the attack. A forced huff left his lungs as the air was knocked from him. He landed on the ground some twenty feet away, when he finally stopped seeing stars and managed to sit up the enemy had gone back to hiding in the shadows.

"You're a coward you know." He taunted. "Hiding in the shadows like that…" He coughed and suddenly his throat was so hoarse he could barely speak. "I've fought vulcans that are stronger than you." Just for effect Sting smirked into the darkness, but he wasn't sure how much good it did considering he couldn't even stand up.

"You're awfully weak to be talking smack. I wouldn't be so cocky if I was in your position."

"Heh. Good thing I'm not you, then." He gathered his wits to stand up once more and send a light attack to where the voice had come from. To his delight he heard an ' _oof'_ letting him know at least one of his attacks landed. His smirk grew wider but his delight was short lived when he saw another fist flying straight for him.

Luck must have been on his side, because the punch never reached him, it was blocked by a wall of darkness. The enemy was swept to the side and rolled to a stop a few feet away. In front of Sting now stood the exact man he wanted and didn't want to see.

"Idiot." A gruff voice mumbled. The rubble crunched under a large boot as a man now stood protectively in front of him. "I told you this job was dangerous."

Sting's smile grew bigger. "Yeah but it'll be no problem now that we're both here...The twin dragons can take on anyone!" He tried to stand but ending up only getting to his knees before a pain shot up his spine and through his stomach. His head began to pound. For all his brave talk he was in a pretty bad way right now.

"Don't stand." Rogue warned, still keeping his eyes locked on the enemy who was beginning to stand up himself. "I'll take care of him for now. You're too weak to fight."

"Don't be stupid, Rogue." Sting warned. "You said yourself this job was too dangerous. There's no way I'm gonna let you fight alone!"

Now Rogue turned to look at him, his face was red with anger and his eyes sharp as daggers. "If that's what you thought then why did you come here without me!?"

"You told me you didn't want to get involved! So why are you here now, huh!?" Sting managed to stand up and face Rogue, each dragon slayer bashed their foreheads together in heated argument.

"Because I care about you, you idiot!" He screamed back at Sting. There was no time for Sting to remark though, as in the corner of his eye he saw the enemy ready to launch a magic attack. He acted on instinct. Moving in front of Rogue and pushing him behind him with a strong protective arm. Rogue lost his balance and fell to the ground but it was okay because Sting had shielded him from the precisely aimed attack.

A new pain spliced its way through his chest, sending shockwaves all over his body until his entire spine chilled. His knees buckled and soon his tailbone hit pavement, his back following suit. When his head hit the ground he saw stars, it took him a while to hear what was going on around him. When his hearing finally came back Rogue's voice was the first thing to fill the void.

"Sting! STING!" He called, his voice growing louder and more panicked. He felt Rogue's hand squeeze his shoulders. It was all he could do to just open his eyes at this point. He tried to speak but the only thing to escape his mouth was a grunt of pain.

Another shadow attack zipped by Rogue's head. From far away he heard the enemy open his big mouth. "Don't take your attention from the battlefield. That's how comrades get killed."

Rogue stood up, standing in front of Sting. "I'll slaughter you." A dark aura now surrounded him, this was his power but something was off. Rogue's shadow was stronger somehow...it enveloped him, growing bigger and bigger until it threatened to swallow the whole area. Whatever was happening felt wrong.

Sting tried to push himself off the ground but the pain in his chest was too much to move. "Ro..gue…" He choked out, the action made his lungs cough up blood. So much blood…

For everything he tried none of it seemed to reach Rogue's ears. He never even turned back to Sting. Just kept a death glare on the man in front of him.

"Rogue!" He tried again, this time his voice reached above a whisper but soon he was taken over by a fit of coughs. Rogue still didn't answer him. As the fight continued Sting's vision began to fade...or what is it just that the darkness around Rogue was creeping in, slowly swallowing the battlefield?

It was no use. Sting could not move, he could not speak...his thoughts slowly descended into darkness as a battle waged before him. He was no longer a part of this world. This world had destroyed him and the darkness had crept in to swallow the remains.

At least Sting could say, he would embrace this new darkness because it was the last part of Rogue that had existed to protect him. He mouthed these words on his dying breath, unable to make any actual sound come from his lips; "I'll see you again...when the darkness releases us both…Rogue…"

There was nothing. The world had faded into the shadows, taking both dragon slayers down with it.

"Argh...Sting…" Rogue's hoarse voice croaked out as he threw himself over the dead dragon slayers body. "Wake up…" He pleaded, looking up only to stroke Sting's cold and pale cheeks. He didn't stir, just lay still, his face completely relaxed.

Rogue couldn't believe this. He told Sting this mission was too dangerous for him...He knew the dragon slayer couldn't handle it alone. And even after Rogue came to his rescue and defeated the enemy, he was too late.

 _It's not too late…_ A mysterious voice hissed. The words floated around him, seeming to come from everywhere then echoing inside his head. _You can still save him…_

"Who's there!?" Rogue shouted, sitting up to face the darkness around him. He was sure he'd heard someone but there was no one there and everything was deadly quiet.

 _No one but you…_ The voice hissed in reply. This time something on the ground caught his attention, he looked down. A shadow creeped along the ground, which wouldn't have been strange had the shadow not been human like and moving too fast for natural occurrences. It had one red dot, like an eye that stared him down and drew out every bad emotion inside him.

Rogue stiffened. This shadow, whatever it was, had extended from his own body, casting itself upon the ground and over Sting's corpse.

"There's no way…" He breathed out. He knew that shadow from the Grand Magic Games. It hadn't been good natured then and Rogue doubted it was now...But still, it said he could save Sting. "What do you mean I can save him?" The words rushed out of his mouth before he could stop them, they came out more demanding than he'd thought.

The red eye gleamed and the shadow grew bigger. _You can still save him...in a sense._ The shadow moved across the ground and up the wall. It grew so large it towered over him. _If you capture his dragon slayer power...for your own…_

Horrible flashbacks filled his mind's eye then. Seeing himself, standing above an entire city, bringing destruction with the power of a dragon army at his back. His comrades, fallen and beaten below him as they had tried to fight an impossible war. They had won then and the Eclipse Gate was destroyed...surely what this shadow meant couldn't bring Rogue to become _that_.

"If I steal his power I'll become just like the future counterpart of myself...I'll hurt my friends...my family."

 _Sting was your family…_ The shadow looked like it was leaning closer to him. As if it had become tangible and moved from its two-dimensional prison to face him in the real world.

He looked once more to Sting's body. His hair was a matted mess of blood and blonde spikes, his clothes fared no better and there were deep gashes all over him. The biggest gash blowing a hole straight through his stomach so Rogue could see his charred insides. That familiar pain stabbed at his heart and he had to clutch his chest just to make sure it wouldn't pound a hole through _him._

 _Do it, Rogue...Honor his memory by making him a part of you. He would want you to live for your future...so live. And keep his legacy with you everywhere…_

"His legacy…" He voiced his thoughts and suddenly he couldn't get a hold of anything that was rattling inside his brain. His mind, his instincts, the fear and loss he had felt were clouded. The shadows grew deeper, surrounding him until it was all he saw. He longed to see Sting's smiling face again. To see him happy and alive...He needed his light. A teardrop fell from Rogue's face and he was disgusted with himself that this was all the tears he could shed for his lost partner.

"I need you Sting!" He suddenly shouted at the top of his lungs. The emotion swirled in his chest and clouded his mind until he balled his fists and pounded on Sting's dead chest in anger.

In his darkest hour he saw a light rise up from the ground. No, it was coming from Sting. His legacy...the last thing Rogue could use to remember him by...and it was escaping. He clung to the dissipating lights feebly but his fingers slipped right through it.

 _You know what to do…_

It was true. He did know. All of a sudden his mind was clear, his heart had stopped it's hammering. Rogue bent down and put both hands on either side of Sting's head. He dropped his forehead until they were touching and a small smirk raised the corners of his mouth. "I love you, Sting Eucliffe...and now, we'll become one."

The light couldn't escape his shadows now. He pulled the holy power into himself, it mingled with the shadows until the darkness tainted it and took over. Soon Rogue began to feel the power of two dragon slayers inside his veins. They both existed within him now. Sting couldn't really be gone as long as Rogue held his legacy close to him. Now he would be more powerful than the both of them. And nothing could ever take away the ones he loved ever again.

 **AN: Don't get me wrong I actually LOVE Sting and Rogue they are my OTP. I'm just a sadist so enjoy my torturous mind~**


	4. All About Us

**AN: So after what feels like years of not posting anything here is a story I wrote a while ago. A friend of mine requested me to write a story about her OC with Natsu due to a song we heard that we decided was perfect as their shipping song! All About Us by He is We. The OC is Mackenzie Oakman a crystal dragon slayer.**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or it's characters. Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima. And the original character Mackenzie Oakman belongs to tumblr user misa-rofu-dragneel**

After years of fighting, it seemed what she wanted would finally come true. They had been through everything together, traveling to Galuna Island for the S Class mission, fighting off Phantom Lord for the sake of our guild, holding hands as Tenrou Island sank into the ocean, winning the Grand Magic Games. Natsu was by her side through it all and she by his. Now they would finally have the time for themselves that they wanted. The time they had waited for, for so long. Even Stella and Happy had agreed to stay at Lucy's house for the night so the two could be alone.

Mack came home from her bachelorette party unable to hide a smile. She should have guessed the girls in her guild would destroy that old country inn. Why did she have to bet on it? Master Makorov would be furious when he found out, even though Cana had assured her he wouldn't, somehow that didn't make her feel very sure at all.

"Natsu, I'm home!" She called before she even opened the blue creaky door. Both of their parties should have been over by now. Now it was time for the night before the wedding. She hadn't seen that spiky head of pink hair all day, which was very unusual for her, so when she opened the door and saw him pacing in the kitchen her shoulders were finally able to relax.

"Mackenzie!" he called, running over to her immediately, picking her up and spinning her around. When he stopped he placed a kiss on her cheek. "I missed ya!"

"Easy, I'm still sore from that fight Erza challenged me to."

Natsu laughed, short and loud. "Ha! Ice-prick and metal head wouldn't let me leave until I'd kicked both their butts!"

"And lemme guess Laxus yelled at you for destroying the inn?" she asked and Natsu nodded.

Then in unison they said, "The innkeeper was pissed!" They looked at each other and laughed. Mack grabbed Natsu's hand and led him to the couch.

"So tell me about it. I wanna hear everything," she said, patting the seat beside her. Natsu leaned back with his hands in his lap as he sat down. He began his retelling of the day's adventures but something was off. He wasn't as loud or brazen as usual. He was actually being pretty quiet, the opposite of everything Natsu stood for.

In the middle of his stories she found a second to stare him down until he noticed and questioned her about it.

"What's wrong?" she asked her voice firm but concerned.

"Nothing. Why do you ask?" He tried for a smile but it wasn't as large as it usually was. Mack leaned forward and placed a hand over his, concern clear as day in her eyes.

"You know you don't have to lie to me." Natsu let his head fall to the ground but said nothing. "It's the night before our wedding, what could be wrong?"

Without looking up Natsu answered in such a small voice she had to ask him to repeat it. "I don't know how to dance!" He spit out quickly trying to get the words out of his mind.

There was a moment of silence then all the words came spilling from Natsu's mouth. "I know it's tradition for the bride and groom to dance together and I tried to learn but Erza's dancing made me sick, Gajeel tried to teach me to sing for some reason, Gray flat out refused, even Mira and Lisanna got too carried away and ended up planning a whole dance number for some stage play instead of our wedding. I don't want to embarrass you in front of everyone by messing up…" It looked like there was more Natsu wanted to say but that was enough for her. She saw the darkness creep up in his eyes, saw the insecurity and the preemptive guilt.

Without saying a word Mackenzie stood up, walked to the phonograph on the mantle and flipped on a record. Sweet and soft guitar riffs filled the otherwise quiet room. Natsu looked up at her in confusion but she just walked over to the couch and grabbed his hand in hers.

"Take my hand." She sung sweetly, lifting Natsu onto his feet while he listened in awed silence. "I'll teach you to dance." Her voice rang soft and sincere. "I'll spin you around," she made Natsu do a little twirl under her arm, although he was taller than her she made it work by standing on her toes. When Natsu stumbled a little she laid a steadying hand on his shoulder. "Won't let ya fall down."

She moved them away from the couch, giving themselves plenty of room. She took his hands, put one over her shoulder and held the other in her own, holding it out and up. Her free arm went around his waist and she stared deep into his eyes as she pushed him forward, then back, then forward and she sang, "Would you let me lead? You can step on my feet." She stopped singing for a minute to look down at their feet still in those fancy party shoes. He looked uncertain for a second but she nodded and sang, "Give it a try. It'll be alright."

The guitar part picked up a new chord and she kept up her lead in the dance, spinning Natsu in place with swaying steps. "The room's hush hush and now's our moment." Finally his smile was beginning to come back, causing a greater smile from Mack. "Take it in, feel it all and hold it." Slowly he began to pick up the chorus with her.

"Eyes on you, eyes on me, we're doing this right." In her gut Mack felt something tug, it tugged as the music rang out then lifted into the sky with a strong breeze circling around them. She danced, leading him around the room with one two, one two, movements. They danced in a spinning circle around the living room never looking away. Because it was just the two of them tonight.

"Cause lovers dance when they feeling in love, spotlight shining it's all about us." She felt the pressure and fear of failure lift from the air and from Natsu's tense muscles. She kept singing to herself, to him and for each other. "It's all," She opened her mouth wide as the note carried on, Natsu followed suit managing to keep up with her spinning circle. "about us." The more they sang the more Natsu seemed to loosen up.

He twirled her around with an arm over her head, she spun until they were at an arm's length away still holding tight to each other's hands and each extending an arm the other way. "And every heart in the room will melt!" Natsu pulled her close again until he was the one holding her waist and leading them through the movements. "This is a feeling I've never felt but, it's all," They stopped their dancing for a moment to hold each other close as he stroked a thumb over her cheek. "About us."

Natsu picked up the next verse, breaking apart from her and singing to the rafters. He had always kept his singing voice to himself, never opening up enough to let it out but when he did, oh how Mack's heart fluttered. The deep sultry sounds of his voice pulled her around him, taking steps in time with the beat while he stared her down and sang from his heart. "Suddenly, I'm feeling brave." He grabbed her waist and dipped her quickly, then held her there, "I don't know what's got into me, why I feel this way." He stood her back up and brushed his hand across her arm until he touched her palm and filled the spaces between her fingers. "Can we dance real slow," He drew out his words as they stepped closer to each other, with one arm around her waist again they were slowly spinning, lost in each other's eyes. "Can I hold you, can I hold you close?" He stopped spinning to pull her closer.

Mack kept the close proximity, smiling from ear to ear as she kept up the chorus. "The room's hush hush and now's our moment." A playful look danced in her eyes. "Take it in, feel it all and hold it." She let go only to bring their hands between each other and enclose them on themselves around empty space as if it were a precious thing.

Then taking a step back with every sentence they sung, "Eyes on you, eyes on me. We're doing this right," Mack raised her hand in the air, letting her fingers hang delicately. Natsu mimicked her, and they orbited each other, growing ever closer until their fingertips were brushing. "Cause lovers dance when they feeling in love. Spotlight shinning it's all about us!" When they got close enough to lay their palms flat against each other they let the music drive their movements as they sung passionately to each other. "It's all about us," The note carried on and with each raise of her voice Mack spun away holding her arms out wider.

Together they continued to sing as Natsu came up behind her, wrapping his arms around her and breathing the words into her neck. "And every heart in the room will melt," Mack bent her knees just a little as if she were swooning and brought her arm up to hold Natsu's cheek. Then she turned around and Natsu picked her up while she locked her arms in place on his shoulders. "This is a feeling we've never felt but," He let her down and she sung, "it's all about us."

The bridge came along with the same sweet guitar riff, turning the house into a music box where only they were center stage. A little out of breath the couple stopped dancing but kept focused on each other, "Do you hear that love, they're playing our song." Mack sang, then Natsu chimed in with,

"Do you think we're ready. Oh, I'm really feeling it-" His words faded into silence as she continued,

"Do you hear that love?" Slowly, and again. "Do you hear that love?"

Natsu came up to her, extending a hand which she took and lifting it high as they spun around slowly once more. His words rang out strong and even, "Do you hear that love, they're playing our song." Mack picked up the next line, putting as much passion into her performance as she could. After all they were in the spotlight, and in love. "Do you think we're and oh,I'm Really Feeling it-" she sang in one breath then continued slowly, "Do you hear that love?"

They had begun circling each other again, keeping their focus on the other one and on the words. Natsu sung out his line with mouth wide open, all fears forgotten. "Do you hear that love?"

The music built up and so did their energy. Their circling became faster and faster, Mack held Natsu's arms, excitement bubbling in her eyes, "Do you hear that love, they're playing our song!"

Natsu grabbed her hand and pulled her into another twirl and he cried out, "Do you think we're ready and oh, I'm really feeling it!" As her twirl ended her pulled her close and the chorus slowed down allowing them time to study everything about their partner's face. "Do you hear that love?" They sang softly fading out together. "Do you hear that love?"

Natsu had her in his arms again, holding her close as she sang, "Lovers dance when they feeling in love." She reached a hand up to stroke a piece of bangs away from his face. "Spotlight shining it's all about us." Natsu sang the backup, "It's all about us," then the music picked up again and suddenly they were spinning together with a firm hold on each other's waist. "It's all-"

"Every heart in the room will melt!" Facing each other they placed both hands crossed over their hearts and swooned. "This is a feeling I've never felt but, it's all," Mack's voice rang out, letting the music bring her closer to her fiance. "About us." Natsu put a hand on her waist, bringing her ever so close to him and they sang the chorus, "Cause lovers dance when they feeling in love," He lead her in the steps, back and forth, swaying to the rhythm. "Spotlight shining it's all about us. It's all," the music grew and shrunk with every word, they let their bodies tell them what to do as they ducked and swayed up and down, back and forth. "About us-hey-ey-ey-ey!"

"Every heart in the room will melt," Natsu sang.

"This is a feeling I've never felt but," They stopped moving, she stopped breathing just long enough for him to pick up the last line. "It's all about us." His words faded and so did the guitar on the record.

His tension was no longer there, replaced by a strong confidence and something else she had only seen in his rarest moments, a gentle hold on her with a melting look in his eyes. Natsu reached a thumb and forefinger up to her chin, slowly pulling her head towards his as her lips naturally parted. They met each other and a shiver ran up her whole body, from her toes to the roots of her hair, she felt it. Her love for him, and her passion for their marriage, for their partnership.

There was no more worry and there was no going back. How could she go back? When all she wanted to do was run forward his hand in hers, never letting go.

 **AN: Thanks for reading! I hope you liked it!**


	5. The Rolling Pin

p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strongA/N: I forget just how long it's been since I even visited this site. (Probably like a year or so?) Anyway! Enjoy this one shot dump! I forget why I wrote this one but I like it just a bit./strong/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"strongDisclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or it's characters. Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima./strong/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting Eucliffe never did well in new places. In fact he hated being the new guy. But life away from college demanded a fresh start and frankly Sting had had enough of his old life to ever go back. So when his foot hit the pavement of his new home on Sabertooth Square he breathed in deep, vowing to himself that this home would be a nice change. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He had searched for hours upon hours to find the right place and finally he came across an old ad for a one bedroom apartment that would just have to do. He thanked the taxi driver and handed him his pay for the ride. Grabbing his trunks out of the back he continued up the stairs. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Third floor…Third floor?" He repeated to himself as he looked over the list of residents. Suddenly, his phone buzzed. He looked at the screen and it read one email from his new landlord./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I was told you'd arrive at the apartment by noon today. I won't be able to meet you there because I'm currently in Crocus for a dealers meeting. I'll be back the day after tomorrow. Take this time to get yourself situated into the apartment. Rent starts the the first day you officially move in, today! Lucky you. Just make sure to have it ready for me to collect when I get back to Magnolia. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"-Walsh"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He sent a quick reply back to his landlord; /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Everything will be set up and rent will be ready for you when you get back."/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" He clicked the phone off and continued up the stairs. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The apartment wasn't anything fancy, but he could tell that much from looking at the pictures online. It had a small space for both kitchen and a one couch living room that gave way to a hallway where Sting found a bathroom, somewhat moldy, and a bedroom across from it. The wallpaper was starting to peel away and Sting could see where the pattern striped paper had replaced water stains on the drywall./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He set his bags down, making a mental note to buy more furniture later. When he left his old town he hadn't really bothered to take any furniture with him, aside from his clothes and his photography collection he had nothing to put in this place. As Sting looked around it became apparent just how much work he would have to do to make this place the least bit comfortable. A to-do list began to form in his head and it got so large he felt a headache coming on. He sighed. A sixteen hour ride had worn him out and he could set up his air mattress later tonight, then go shopping for necessities tomorrow. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He checked his phone messages, still nothing on that job he had been promised an interview for in this town. He sighed as he collapsed on the couch and pressed the phone to his stomach in disappointment. When he talked to the supervisors of the new general store that was opening up down the road they had said they would contact him before he moved into the apartment. It's been three days since then. He knew he should try to call back to ask them about it but something in the back of his head kept saying that they didn't call him back for a reason. Previously he had used the excuse that he was too busy focusing on the move to call them back but here he was, just moved in with all the free time in the world and not an ounce of motivation to do anything but stare at the ceiling. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I'll figure it all out tomorrow." He mumbled to himself and rolled over on the couch. It may have smelled like plaster and have the most uncomfortable spring filled cushions but he soon found himself closing his eyes and drifting off in spite of everything. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;" /p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"A constant but faint buzzing sound and a crick in his neck is what woke him that night. He opened his eyes and the first thing he noticed was how well the living room's one picture window took in light from the city. His phone read 2:00 AM but the room was still filled with pale moonlight and a dim yellow glow from the streetlamps below. As he sat up he realized it wasn't just his neck that was sore, his back ached and he was pretty sure the fabric had left an imprint on his cheek. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Deciding it pointless to set up an air mattress at this hour he walked into the kitchen, meaning to put on the coffee brewer only to stop and realize he didn't have one anymore. One more thing added to the list of crap he needed. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He let out a sigh and stared pitifully at the empty kitchen counters. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"There's gotta be a coffee joint somewhere, right?/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" He grabbed his keys and jammed them in his coat pocket. He was wide awake now and there was no way he was going back to sleeping on that horrid couch. So he closed the door, locked it behind him and made his way down the stairwell. When he first walked in this building he had learned the elevators were out of order by way of a giant sign on the 'up' button. It wasn't that big of a problem, he needed the exercise anyway. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting pulled up his collar as he stepped outside and saw his breath. He loved the fall but the nights could get so damn cold. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The city wasn't a sore sight, that was for sure. In fact it seemed rather remote for being classified as a city. The sidewalks were a pleasant brownish red cobblestone styled in a zigzag that Sting had fun following with his eyes as he walked. Street lamps lit his way as he continued past the tightly packed all brick housing, apartment complexes and stores. This city had a kind of modern contemporary feel to it but there was something else to it that just screamed 'get away paradise'. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"This city was one of those places that was a tourist magnet for sure. Yet not a soul was in sight as he walked. It was all for the better probably, seeing that it was two in the morning. Although he did feel like something was missing. He pondered his feelings as he looked for an open sign anywhere. He had felt this way before, it was the very same feeling that led him to the conclusion of a long distance move in the first place. The longing to have someone to share these late night walks with, the aching tug at your heart as you realize you're still alone in spite of everything you had done to chase that feeling away. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting had to remind himself this could barely even be called his first day in town and he had to give it time but knowing that did nothing to stop the pain. He firmly told himself to stop thinking about it with a little shake of his head and carried on with a renewed kind of vigor that would hide his gloomy thoughts./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"After thirty minutes of walking he had rounded so many corners and streets he had a nagging suspicion he was lost. But he kept going mostly enjoying how peaceful the night was with no one else around and how beautiful the city could be in the streetlight. Eventually he found a red glowing open sign. It looked like it belonged to a coffee shop but when he stepped inside and heard the ring of wind chimes he was caught off guard with the smell of a bakery./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He looked around and realized that this place wasn't just a coffee shop. They specialized in coffee but also had a long display of various baked goods and a menu for breakfast, lunch, and dinner specials. Sting could hardly believe this place was open at this hour but his grumbling stomach didn't care. Much like the town outside of it, it was quaintly decorated. The whole place had a very medieval vines growing against cobblestone look to it. Where there weren't plants hanging from the ceiling, their foliage spilling over the pot, or displays of pastries and menus for drinks there were arched windows that went nicely with the dark night and the streetlights./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting was lost in the decoration and reminding himself to come back here with his camera one day when a deep voice broke the silence. "Welcome. Surprised to see someone actually up at this hour. The city's usually quiet at night." Sting looked over to see a man about his age, slightly taller with the blackest hair he'd ever seen that he was busy tying back into a ponytail, leaving his bangs to frame his face down to his chin. The cashier had pale skin but it contrasted perfectly with his red eyes and that warm smile he had on his face./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting had known he was gay for while now. It had been the single most pivotal moment of his high school life. Although other members of his hometown had been more than happy to point out how uncomfortable it was to hang out with someone who's gay he had learned to say 'fuck them' and wear his pride with a boastful ignorance. This man in front of him made him want to crawl back into his dingy dusty closet. He was too perfect. His smile was too nice, there was no way he'd be interested. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Still Sting had realized he'd been staring and the man behind the register stared back a little awkwardly. "S-sorry," he muttered taking a few steps forward to the counter. He overlooked the food options to hide his thoughts. "I was just admiring the decor of this place." He smiled back up at the cashier whose nametag he noticed, read Rogue. The boy smiled back and let Sting continue looking over the pastries as he wiped down the counter. Suddenly his stomach was growling so loudly he heard Rogue over the counter chuckle./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""With a stomach so active I can see why you're up this late."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting laughed back, finally composing himself. "Yeah, I haven't really eaten anything today. I just moved here this afternoon, we were driving all morning."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"As Sting's eye found a particularly tasty looking jelly donut he looked back at Rogue who placed his elbows forward on the counter. "Sounds interesting," he said. "Where are you coming from?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting looked away, remembering his hometown with too much bitterness. "No where I wanna go back to that's for sure." Rogue walked over to the display as Sting pointed to what he wanted and he grabbed it out of the glass case./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""That bad, huh?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You have no idea."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"As they both walked back to the register they looked up and their eyes met. Sting and Rogue shared a look for a moment before Rogue pulled away, looking back at the cash register as if he just remembered he should be ringing out the item./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I was the same when I moved here. Don't worry, I think you'll grow to like Sabertooth Square quite a bit. We're a small city but I think that just adds to the close community we have."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting smiled and thanked Rogue before asking if he could add a sugary coffee with foam to the tab. Rogue nodded with a smile, beginning to brew the coffee and mark up the cardboard container. He had his sharpie poised as he stopped to look at Sting. He raised a questioning eyebrow. "Name?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Oh! Sting." Rogue wrote his name in big letters on the cup and he could have sworn he saw a few extra pen strokes than was needed. He decided to brush it off and look out the window./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"The coffee machine beeped done and Rogue poured it into the cup. He sealed up the goods to go and punched some numbers into the worn out looking cash register. "That'll be $6.75."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting nodded, bringing out his wallet and counting his money. He sighed when he realized that he'd only have twenty dollars after this and there were a few long moments where he seriously considered not buying the food. He cleared his mind of worry and slapped the seven dollars on the table. Rogue took it with a 'thank you.' He pushed the donut and coffee forward and said, "Have a good night. I hope you'll like it here."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"In that moment Sting smirked and his brain formed words that if he had spared even a moment to think on them he would have stopped himself from saying something so embarrassing. Instead he didn't think and his thoughts spilled forth into, "If everyone here is as wonderful as you, I will." /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Rogue paused a moment then began to laugh as Sting turned to walk away before he could say anything else. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Shit, shit, shit, shit, I didn't just say that. No fucking way, he's gonna know, he's gonna hate me. HE'S PROBABLY NOT EVEN GAY!/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" Sting's thoughts couldn't stop shouting as he turned on a heel. Before his hand touched the door Rogue called back to him./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Sting! Don't forget your things!" He looked back in horror to see the donut and coffee still on the counter. He steeled away some nerve and began the embarrassing walk back to the counter./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Ah, I must be more tired than I thought, sorry!" He quickly grabbed his things and even more quickly walked out the door. When the night air hit his face he sighed deeply but didn't stop until he was out of sight of the shop's windows. He stopped by a park bench a few doors down and looked back at the shop./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Sting, you're a fucking idiot," he muttered to himself as he ripped open the packaging around the jelly donut and took a bite. He angrily chewed and kicked himself for saying something so suggestive. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Rogue /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"was /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"cute/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;".../spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"And he had great taste in fashion/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"...he thought. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Maybe he is gay./spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" Sting looked back at the shop, its lights still on and happily shining in the street between two large apartment complexes. A hanging sign he hadn't noticed swung in the breeze where it rested above the door. Sting could just barely read the words of the shop, "The Rolling Pin, Home to Every Flavor Under the Sun." Next to the words there was a cup of coffee spilling its contents over a tasty looking steamed bun./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He brought the coffee up to his lips to take a sip and noticed the bold words written on the cup. He had almost forgotten about them after he made a fool of himself. He turned the cup into the light and it read, "Sting. Have a wonderful time here and come back soon" with a little smiley face next to the scribbled words. Sting smiled. Maybe Rogue had thought the same thing he was in there? Maybe he wasn't hopeless. He shook the thought from his mind and dismissed it as the kindness of a worker to his customer. He stood up and began to walk away when a thought stopped him in his tracks./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting had no clue where he was. He looked around for street signs but he didn't recognize any of these names. Begrudgingly he looked around, there wasn't a soul in sight on this street and he could see no other shops open except The Rolling Pin. He had left his phone and GPS back at his apartment. Sting cursed his dumb luck and just his dumb brain as he spent a few minutes gathering a plan./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He wasn't going to find his way back on his own, he had walked for too long without really paying attention to where he was going and now he was here in a city he just moved to probably far away from what he was supposed to call home. He dared to stare back at the shop he just came from. He had crossed the street and now he could see into the lit windows. Rogue was moving about, giving the various plants across the room some water then wiping down the glass displays./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""You've got to be kidding me," Sting mumbled. He took a deep breath, gathering his nerve again he walked back inside The Rolling Pin. When the wind chimes sounded Rogue looked over his shoulder curiously. He saw Sting and a question formed on his face./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""When I wrote 'come back soon' I hadn't met this soon."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""What?" Sting looked to the cup and realized. "Oh, no it's not that. I-uh-" Rogue turned to face him, a look on his face so open and warm. "I have no idea where I am…" he admitted, sheepishly rubbing the back of his head. Rogue's smile grew bigger until he started to silently chuckle to himself./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He walked behind the counter shaking his head and smiling. "Well you're lucky I'm just about to close up shop. I know this city like the back of my hand, I'll help you home."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting felt the blood rush to his face, "No, no I just need directions and I'll be fine! Although I'm pretty terrible with those too. In hindsight I shouldn't have moved across the country to a city I've never been to without knowing something about it, but I just wanted some coffee and no other shop was open so I-"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Sting?" Rogue interrupted and he flushed because he'd began rambling. "Don't worry about it." Rogue smiled and Sting felt his heart melt./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He gave a deep bow. "Thank you!" Rogue laughed again, such a deep toned sound. It was like music to his ears./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"They made idle chit chat as Rogue cleaned up the back room and the counters. Sting even helped him sweep the store so they could leave sooner. Finally Sting waited outside while Rogue finished up mopping then walked out and locked the doors, giving them a tug to make sure they wouldn't budge./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting told Rogue where he lived and the boy just nodded, leading the way with hands in his pockets and a beautiful beige scarf covering up parts of his lips. The way he shrugged his shoulders and breathed deeply whenever a cold wind would blow set Sting's stomach on fire./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I have to ask now, what are you doing up this late?" said Rogue with a curious glance at Sting. Sting had to stop himself from staring before Rogue noticed. He looked ahead with a sort of smirk on./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Like I said before, I just moved here. I got to my place by noon and just crashed so I guess when I woke up I really needed to stretch my legs." His stomach growled and he chuckled. "And get something to eat." Rogue nodded and looked ahead, contemplating. "Why? What's your excuse? Just have to get those extra hours in at work?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I usually get stuck with the night shifts. No one else is willing to take them and I'm a night owl so it works out." He shrugged./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""I would never have expected a shop like that to be open so late."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Yeah, I like to keep it available to everyone in town. Although it's usually quiet in the night, it's peaceful and I know there are a few folks who appreciate the late night hours."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting looked at him over a bite of his donut. "/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"You/spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" like the keep it that way?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Rogue nodded, "I own the place."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting nearly choked on his donut as he swallowed with a sharp intake of breath. He pounded his chest a few times to stop the coughing and Rogue looked ready to give him the heimlich maneuver. "S-sorry, that's just so surprising."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Why? Did you think I just worked there?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""How old are you?" Sting found himself blurting out./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Rogue laughed as they continued their walk. "I'm only twenty three actually. A lot of people think I'm older 'cause of me owning the shop and all."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting looked sadly at his donut. "Wow, you're twenty three and responsible for owning a pastry/coffee shop. I'm just turned twenty two and can barely find a part time job at the grocery store in a town I just moved to with only twenty bucks to my name." He watched the street lights pass and hadn't noticed Rogue's surprised look until the boy fell silent. /span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting was just beginning to think he had been too morbid when Rogue said, "You know, I'm looking for someone to fill these late night positions with me if you're interested."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting had to stop walking. "You're kidding."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Rogue shook his head. "We could use the hard work if you're willing."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He couldn't stop his smile creeping up. He took a step back and ran a hand through his hair, breathing out deeply as if to remind himself this wasn't a dream. "No way." Suddenly he remembered his professionalism and extended a hand. "Sting Eucliffe! I'd be delighted if you even gave me a job interview."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Rogue smiled and took his hand. His grip was firm, the grip of a businessman. "How about Tuesday at 8:30 AM sharp. By then I'll be just finishing with the morning rush and we should have time to talk working terms in length. Does that work for you."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Tuesday./spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" He thought. /spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: italic; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"That's two days from now./spanspan style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;" The grocery store he had sent a job application to came to mind but he vowed right then that if they offered he'd refuse. This opportunity was too nice to pass up. "You got a deal!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Finally Rogue led him all the way to his apartment. They stopped by the front entrance to chat. "Thanks again for taking me here," said Sting./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Not a problem. Especially since I may have just found my new worker. Minerva will be ecstatic!" He smirked and added, "She's my co-manager. She'll be hard to get along with at first but if you prove a good worker she'll warm up to you just fine."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Good to know. I hope this wasn't out of your way to bring me here."/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Rogue shrugged. "I only live in the complex right next to the bakery." The look on Sting's face must have displayed a horrible kind of realization. Rogue laughed, doubling over. "I'm only kidding. I actually live up the road," he said and pointed to a spot farther away where the street descended into more residential town houses. "But I do hope you can find your way on Tuesday okay?"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"Sting put on a dramatized look of being offended. "My sense of direction may be terrible but I'm not hopeless!"/span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;""Good. I'll see you then." Sting nodded and they waved goodbye. Sting made his way into the apartment complex and couldn't help the smile that formed on his lips as he walked up the stairs. He glanced once more to the coffee cup he had finished a long time ago. He read the words on it again and his raging nerves went away./span/p  
p dir="ltr" style="line-height: 1.38; margin-top: 0pt; margin-bottom: 0pt; text-indent: 36pt;"span style="font-size: 12pt; font-family: 'Times New Roman'; color: #000000; background-color: transparent; font-weight: 400; font-style: normal; font-variant: normal; text-decoration: none; vertical-align: baseline; white-space: pre-wrap;"He walked into his dimly lit apartment and sighed. The clock read 3:30 AM. He almost couldn't believe he'd stayed out that long. But suddenly his tiredness took over and the air mattress combined with at least three blankets, because he couldn't afford to turn the heat on just yet, swept him off into sleep easily./span/p 


	6. Game Night

**A/N: Ok wow this is an old oneshot. I don't like the ending so much but it's here. I wrote this for a larger universe that tumblr user indayiashow and I made up for shalily praise. It's on this site too called Sneakers On Pointe if you'd like to check it out. Indy put it on her account ShalilyQueen. Enjoy this little game night tho!**

 **Disclaimer: I do not own Fairy Tail or it's characters. Fairy Tail belongs to Hiro Mashima.**

Dim white light from the television danced on five raptured faces, their eyes glued to the screen. Wendy had her tongue stuck out and her hands turned a little on her lap, subconsciously willing her kart to go faster and turn sharper. Shagotte took a seat behind her and happily watched as her three knuckleheads battled out their family game night to see who would win the biggest helping of cherry pie.

Gajeel and Lily sat next to each other, both cross legged and intently focused on the game. They occasionally nudged each other with their elbows, trying to get the other to make a wrong move.

"You got no chance, Redfox! Just give it up!" Lily said, his grin spreading as he took the lead.

Gajeel laughed and gave a toothy smile, never taking his eyes off the screen. "Ghi hi! That's what you think, Lily-boy! But _this_ says differently." Bowser on the lower screen had just gotten a blue turtle shell and used it on Lily's character, Donkey Kong. In the midst of Lily's panicked, "No, no, no, no!" Bowser hit another mystery box and got the bullet bill. He threw his arms up in the air as the bullet took him all the way from sixth to first, ushering a "Woohoo," the whole time.

"Agh, you cheated!" Lily protested, but a smirk still played his lips when Princess Peach slipped on one of his banana peels. "There's no way you got that right after a blue turtle shell!"

Gajeel let out a hearty chuckle. "There ain't no cheatin' in Mario Kart! I'm just that awesome!" Gajeel was in first but Lily was quickly catching up. When he did Bowser and Donkey Kong duked it out by pushing up against each other's kart and only separating when an obstacle came between them.

Shagotte giggled. She loved to watch the boy's game night. But still she wondered what Wendy was planning. She'd been quiet through that whole debacle and her eyes were still narrowly focused on her screen. Shagotte began absentmindedly playing with the blue locks of hair that hung loose down her back. She had half a fishtail braid going when Levy leaned to whisper in Wendy's ear.

Shagotte couldn't hear what she was saying but Wendy's eyes widened instantly and a tiny mischievous smile appeared on her lips. Shagotte took a moment to pause her braiding as she watched Wendy's character, Daisy, hit a mystery box then speed behind a waterfall with her mushroom boost. She came out the other end of the drop off and sailed back down to the track where Bowser and Donkey Kong were still banging into each other.

Wendy let out a laugh louder than Shagotte had ever thought could come out of a little sixteen year old. She jumped up from her slouch, causing Shagotte to lose her braid. Wendy didn't seem to notice as she passed the finish line on the last lap in first place, landing delicately above the two battling brutes behind her. Gajeel and Lily could spare no words, only wails of defeat.

They both looked at Wendy who tried her best to hide her pride but was simply bouncing up and down in her joy. Her innocent face smiled at them but those glimmering eyes told everyone she was reveling in her victory.

"No way!" Gajeel started, "How'd you beat me squirt! You were all the way in seventh last time I saw!"

Wendy was about to answer when Lily opened his mouth. He turned to Gajeel, his words accusatory and his eyes sharp but playful. "Oh! So you screen cheated!"

Gajeel laughed as he turned to Lily, "Can it, panther boy. You used to do the same when we were kids!"

Just then a new voice spoke up. "Actually," said Levy, "you two were so busy fighting each other that you didn't even notice the secret passage under the waterfall."

Gajeel looked at her expressionless, "Betrayed by my own kind." He shook his head and made a _tsk tsk tsk_ noise.

Levy raised an eyebrow. "Own kind? I don't seem to recall such camaraderie from you when we were playing Elder Scrolls Online."

"That was different, shrimp." He smirked.

Levy only crossed her arms and mocked turning her head away, "Mhm, sure. You just can't accept that you lost."

"Ah shuddup! There's still one more round! And I declare that we can't play this game if team pipsqueak is gonna gang up on us."

Levy puffed her cheeks and was about to protest but Wendy only met Gajeel's jokes with bright eyes. "Let's play Smash Bros.!" She interrupted whatever Levy was going to say but remained completely lost in a world of excitement which made everyone in the room laugh.

Gajeel ruffled her hair as he said, "Ghi hi! Sure pipsqueak. Put it in but you ain't gonna win this time."

Levy laughed a little and looked over Wendy's vacant spot at Gajeel. "That's what you think. But Wendy kicked my butt last time I played against her!"

Lily chuckled. "You haven't seen me rule the arena with Falco, yet!"

Wendy crawled on hands and knees to the console under the TV stand and switched the games. When the screen flashed bright colors and an announcer's voice shouted "SMASH!" Wendy picked her controller back up and nestled herself back against the bed where Shagotte combed out her hair with her fingers and began the braid again.

"Good luck, Wendy." She told her as they picked their characters. Wendy's third player cursor rolled over a pink ball and an announcer shouted, "Kirby!" Lily chose Falcon, some sort of bird humanoid with futuristic looking weapons. Gajeel took the longest to choose his character and kept switching between Bowser, Wario and Metaknight but eventually shrugged and chose Bowser once more.

Lily chuckled, "You won't be able to match my speed that way." He cast a dark smirk at Gajeel over the light of the flickering TV. Gajeel crossed his arms.

"Bowser can't be knocked off. I'm too big an opponent."

Wendy giggled then, turning her head slightly to look at her brothers. "But Kirby can still eat you."

Levy laughed then. She stood up, moving in front of the TV with hands on her hips and a huge smile. "Alright! Last round!" She waved her hands dramatically eyeing everyone in the room as she announced the rules. "Gajeel was up three points but Lily passed him with four points in that last round." Gajeel glared at Lily who smirked. "However, Wendy is creeping right behind both of you also with three points. Better watch your back, boys! Because this round is the last, whoever takes this gets all the beans in the pool!" She stayed for just long enough to make eye contact with all the contenders, each of whom had determination set in their faces.

Levy stepped away from the TV, raised a hand in the air then brought it down quickly as she said, "GO!"

Immediately Gajeel pressed 'A' and the fight was on. Falcon took off from that start, choosing to hang out on the very edge of the stage while Bowser rushed Kirby. Kirby went flying and Wendy was squirming so much Shagotte had to concede to simply brushing her hair out and twirling a few strands together.

She watched a smile growing on her face every second one of them threw the other off the edge or Falco made an insane burst of speed and hit both Bowser and Kirby off at once. Their excitement only seemed to heighten as they played and soon Gajeel was trying, and mostly failing, to hide some pretty creative curses under his breath. Lily was nearly out of his seat, his arms moved wildly as if that would somehow help his character fight better.

Bowser breathed fire, Kirby fell off. Kirby upward sliced both opponents pushing them over the edge. Falcon got the smash ball and annihilated each of the others twice. Bowser killed Falco, Kirby held Falcon in his mouth as they both went over the edge. Kirby, Flaco and Bowser made so many comebacks from the brink of death she never would have thought it possible. So many KO's came and went that Shagotte was so confused as to who could possibly be winning. She had never known five minutes to be so long. By the end big red numbers flashed on the screen, counting down from ten. Wendy went beserk, never relenting in her attacks even once and eventually killing Bowser. Then with one second to spare it looked like Falco and Kirby were going to go over the edge but the clock timed out and the fight was over while they floated slowly down.

Every eye was glued to the screen as the results popped up. Shagotte and Levy were just as invested as the others when the bright blue symbol of a falcon flashed big on screen before zeroing in on Falco's proud crossed arms and slight smirk. Lily threw his arms up in the air, completely abandoning his controller as he whooped in delight. Wendy's mouth dropped open and she stared blankly. Gajeel went into an uproar calling Lily, once more, a cheater.

"No way! Not possible! Help me out here shrimp!" Gajeel said turning to Levy who was laughing hysterically.

"You got your butt kicked, Gajeel!" Was all she could manage between gasps of air. Gajeel just started at his girlfriend with a pout. Wendy's shoulders sagged a little.

Lily pulled both his siblings into a two armed hug, "Good game guys, good game!"

"Cheater." Gajeel mumbled.

"But I wanted pie…" Wendy said sadly.

Levy stood up then, smiling, "Well that settles it. Lily gets the biggest slice of your mom's famous cherry pie!"

"I still can't believe you all got so passionate." Shagotte began as everyone stood up. "It's only a game right?"

The three siblings stared at her like she was insane. "Shagotte." Lily said. "You don't just compete for the cherry pie." As he said that he held eye contact with Shagotte for longer than she felt comfortable with and kept his face so stoic and serious it was as if any other option was not humanly possible.

Gajeel held a scowl with the same seriousness and spoke, "You compete for honor!" Even little Wendy stared at her with a determined pout and vigorous shakes of the head. Levy put a hand on Shagotte's shoulder then.

"Game is life. Pie is life." She gave them all a raised eyebrow look and soon none of them could keep a straight face. They were still laughing as Wendy ran out of the room and called for the biggest slice of pie.

"Oh no you don't, pipsqueak!" Lily went calling after her. The rest followed to find Lily had a hand on Wendy's hair, a proud smile on his face as he gazed upon the prize in Grandeney's hands.

Gajeel came up behind him next, arms crossed and pouting. He made a _psh_ sound and looked away disinterested. Metalicana came from around the corner of the living room a grin too big for his own good on his weathered face. "Finally beat the champion?"

Lily smiled. "You know it old man." Gajeel's pout worsened and Metalicana eyed him. Shagotte got the feeling Gajeel had been the reigning champion for this little ritual they had but just then Lily nudged Wendy a little with her arm. "It's about time someone took the old pipsqueak down a notch."

Wendy smiled slightly but stuck her tongue out at the other boys. Grandeney laughed and began cutting the biggest slice of cherry pie. She handed it to Lily with a smile, who graciously accepted.

Shagotte sat down beside Levy content with a smaller piece of cherry pie. Wendy and Gajeel opted for bigger pieces and wolfed them down with delight. Lily, on the other side of Shagotte, scarfed down his cherry pie so readily she had to wonder how he kept his body in such great shape. Lily must have noticed her staring cuz he stopped and looked at her too his cheeks comically filled with cherry flavoring, a bit of red dipping down his chin. He stared at her his eyes wide, "Whaf?" He asked not bothering to cover his mouth. Shagotte giggled and he seemed to remember his manners. He nearly choked on his food before swallowing it. She saw the corners of his mouth go up and his eyes crinkled a little as he began chuckling.

"I'm sorry," he said. "I just realized how this must seem. You've never seen one of our Redfox family game nights huh?"

Shagotte shook her head. Idle conversation was being made by everyone around the table. From somewhere she could hear the faint sounds of Crosby, Stills, Nash and Young, Metalicana's music of choice. Shagotte couldn't help looking around at them all. The people she'd grown close to after they all practiced so hard and went through so much during the State Final competitions for their dance teams, they all seemed so happy now. They were so full of life, all of them with huge smiles on their faces, she allowed herself to stop and stare for a while and a thought came to her mind then. She had been here before. Maybe? No, she had belonged here her whole life. It only took her a very long time to find where she belonged.

"Shagotte?" Lily's voice came floating through her thoughts and she looked at him again.

"Hm? Yes?" Lily smiled at her and he got that look in his eye that told Shagotte something was up. "What?"

He laughed a little, looking down at his plate before he said, "You're beautiful." Then he looked up at her again, his eyes content and shining with someone she had only ever seen in her parents. The kind of something that she wanted so desperately to show her own children one day. Unconditional love.

Shagotte felt the blood rushing to her cheeks. She couldn't meet Lily's gaze and he laughed out loud. She couldn't help joining in on his laughter too. "Stop!" she said between giggles. "You know how that makes me blush."

He leaned in closer to her, a barely containable smile on his face. "That's what makes it even cuter." If Shagotte had been eating or drinking she might have spit it up on the table. As it was she took a sharp intake of breath and choked on her saliva going down the wrong pipe.

Amidst her laughing Lily pushed his plate closer to hers. "Here. I don't think I can eat all of this."

She heard Gajeel's cackle from across the table. "Look at you, 'Lil. Fallen like a sap for love."

"What does that make you, then?" Lily said with a grin at Gajeel and a quick look to Levy beside Shagotte. Levy went as red as a tomato, but looked rigid as a taught piece of string.

Gajeel smirked, an evil glint in his eye. "Well at least Shrimp and I-" he was interrupted by as stray, sloppy, chunk of cherry pie hit the side of his face. Gajeel paused and stared to where it had come from. Everyone looked to Levy who was holding her spoon with one finger. She had her eyes closed but twitching and a frown on.

"Stupid, Gajeel," she said. "Don't mention such things at the dinner table!" Gajeel just stared at her incredulously and Lily began to laugh. Shagotte thought she saw the corners of Gajeel's mouth go up a little. He stood up and aimed another glob back at Levy. It landed with a squishy plop, right in her hair. Wendy giggled as she watched the two slowly descend into anarchy. Lily was still laughing when a piece of cherry pie hit him just below his neck. His gaze wandered to Wendy whose hands quickly flew under the table but she couldn't hide her mischievous smile.

Lily stood up, food in his spoon and a smile on his face, "It's on!"

Before the chaos erupted Shagotte thought she heard Mama Redfox's faint, exasperated voice ring out, "No, these carpets are new…"

Shagotte ducked her head before she could be hit but with even Metalicana joining in on the fun she could not avoid the flying food. It dripped down her back and she yelped. Lily took one look at her and covered his mouth with a hand dramatically. She gave him a confident smirk before grabbing leftovers of his pie with her bare hands and throwing the contents everywhere until it sprayed and hit almost everyone in the room.

The room became ramshackles as fast as the food fight had arisen. The only reason anyone stopped throwing pie was because it was too scattered on their clothes and the table. When all was said and done Levy peeked her head over a chair she was using for cover and looked around. Gajeel and Lily, who had somehow formed an alliance in the middle of it shared looks of shock. Wendy crawled out from under the table and stepped right into a pool of cherry sauce. Metalicana stood up straight and seemed to noticed just how ruined his dining room was now.

Everyone held their breath, they all stared at each other wondering what was going to happen now. Mama Redfox had strategically disappeared during the fight but now she came around the corner of the kitchen wall, a spray bottle of carpet cleaner and a scrub brush in her hands. She walked right up to Metalicana, her eyes solid as a rock and her face held no emotion. Pushing the cleaning products into his arms she spoke, "Clean it." Then she turned to the others and added, "There are more scrub brushes in a bucket under the sink. I don't wanna see a single red spot on these carpets when you're done." She waggled her finger at them but her brows weren't furrowed and there was a glint to her eye that told Shagotte she wasn't furious.

Metalicana must have noticed it too because he smirked at her. She just raised one eyebrow and crossed her arms. Metalicana gave her a peck on the cheek which she almost refused.

No one spoke as Grandeney turned on a heel. She stopped before she was about the walk through the door and said, "If you continue like this I may just get gray hairs before I'm fifty." She turned back to them with a little smile. "But I hope you all had fun tonight."

She was gone before anyone else could say a word. Afterwards they looked to each other and within a matter of seconds they all burst out laughing.


End file.
